An Unusual Haven
by MysticHowler
Summary: A cage can be a haven. It just depends upon what is locked in it!
1. Unexpected Guests

A/N: Regrettably I did not write the Harry Potter series, and thus am not making a profit.

Unexpected Guests

Harry Potter knew the summer was going to be hell the moment he stepped onto the thresh hold of Dursley's spotless house. The instant Harry shut the front door, Vernon rounded on his strange nephew. "Take your bloody bird upstairs, and do not come down." said his Uncle Vernon, obviously trying his best to contain himself. Then he grabbed the handle to his trunk, and dragged it into the cupboard and locked it. Harry winced; he knew he wouldn't be able to get any of his school work done. That cupboard was all to familiar to him, he spent almost 10 years sleeping in it. Furious at his uncle he grabbed Hegwig's cage and stormed up to his room, his owl hooting indignantly the entire way. He gently put her cage down and apologized before plopping down on his bed. He listened carefully for footsteps, and after a minute had a fleeting hope that they would not lock his door, but that hope was quickly dashed when he heard a series of bolts banging, and chains rattling on the other side of the door.

Almost an hour went by when he heard the door bell ring. Normally if he was out of his room, he would be the one to answer it, but under the circumstances was unable to do so. He could hear somebody…or rather some people thundering up the stairs, it sounded like two people. Then he heard the dead bolts and chains being released. Harry rolled over and sat up. He could hear voices on the side of the door, one he could tell was his angry uncle. The other…Albus Dumbledore. Harry stood surprised to hear Dumbledore in Surrey. He approached the door to see if he could eaves drop on what they were talking about, but before he could take a single step his door was flung open. There stood Dumbledore, and his purple faced uncle. Neither looked happy, Dumbledore looked upset and worried more than anything. Dumbledore was the first to speak "Harry, I need you to look after somebody for a while, and I need to speak with the Dursley's for a minute, then I will come back to explain." Ending on that note, he stepped aside and Harry saw a pretty red-head sprint into the room and gave him a huge hug. Vernon shut the door, and preceded downstairs following on Dumbledore's heels. Harry looked down at his best friend's younger sister Ginny. He returned the hug, but suddenly felt something wet around his chest, then he noticed the tears.

"Ginny, what's wrong? Here...sit down" as he led her to his bed. Sobbing, Ginny muttered incomprehensibly "gone, it is gone...the...destroyed". Utterly confused Harry pushed her and tried to get more out of her. He grabbed her hand to try to comfort her, but that did not succeed. Ginny still crying and sobbing rolled into a ball, and laid down on Harry's bed, still muttering without making any sense. After five minutes and not getting anything out of her, Harry decided to wait until Dumbledore returned, but did not leave the bed, or her side. Harry acted on impulse and sat himself at the head of the bed where he could lean on the wall, and pulled the sobbing Ginny into his lap where she grabbed at his shirt and tucked her knees to her, sobbing into his chest as he wrapped comforting arms around her and rubbed her back and attempted to sooth her. Harry just sat there looking down at an angel crying in his lap, and he heard a quiet squeak. He looked up and saw a grim Dumbledore walk in. Harry looked down, and saw Ginny's eyes closed, he didn't know if she was asleep or not, but whispered just in case. "What happened?"

Albus hesitated a moment before answering, "When Arthur and Molly Weasley were picking up Ron and Ginny, their house was attacked by Death Eaters. The Burrow is gone, there is nothing left of it. Arthur and Molly are going to find a different place, but Ginny and Ron need a place to stay, and I want them to be safe, so Ron went to the Grangers with Hermione, I know they will take care of him and welcome him. As for Ginny, I don't know if the Weasleys were targeted, but I thought it would be smart to separate them. I know you have feelings for her, as she does for you, so I felt this was the safest place. On top of that the blood wards surrounding the house will keep her safe too. I have asked the Ministry to grant you permission to use magic before you become of age to help make sure Ginny is safe. I have a list and description of things I am not sure you know how to do. I will not give it to you until Faukes returns with the papers. He should…" A bright flash and Dumbledore's Phoenix Faukes appeared in the room with a roll of parchment in his beak. Albus reached out and took the scroll from Faukes who promptly disappeared in another flash. Dumbledore read the message and then continued.

"It seems that they think it is a good idea to grant you permission to use magic, so, here is the list as I promised. Now, I imagine that you do not want to be stuck in this small room without a bathroom so…" Upon hearing this Harry gave his Headmaster a quizzical look, he started to ask him a question but Dumbledore cut Harry off and answered his question "The only way I could convince the Dursley's to let Ginny stay was to allow them to lock you in your room until…further notice. Either when I come to bring Ginny back to her parents, or when school starts. If it is the latter, then your books will be purchased for you, and will be waiting for you at Hogwarts. Now if you will excuse me, I need to modify your room." Harry glanced down at Ginny curled up on his bed, to see if she was still asleep. Her eyes were open, and he kneeled down next to her and sat her up. He didn't know what to do so, he kissed her quickly on the cheek. She smiled slightly. Harry turned around and asked that in the event that they would not be able to pick up their books, that Ginny's books be bought and the withdrawn from his own account. Harry's jaws dropped.

His room was no longer tiny. He stood up, and marveled at the change. Dumbledore stopped muttering the various charms and spells and looked at Ginny, then at Harry. Pondering his decision he came to his conclusion: The Weasleys would be angry if he was not going to make another bedroom for Ginny. She is after all fifteen, and Harry was sixteen, who knows what their hormones will get them into. He looked around the room, and the only corner of the room that didn't have something in it. He created a small cubby, and added a nice comfy bed, complete with a door.

"Very well, is that all? Harry this is how you conjure something. Focus on what you want, then move your want like this…and that item will appear. Be wary though. If you do food and forget about the plates, then the food will be a mess. When I was young I neglected to think about a glass for my orange juice. I must get going. Remember, anything that Ginny wants, get it for her. You can make chairs and other necessities. I only increased the size of your living quarters. Oh, and added necessary things, like the bathroom." He walked to the door, and looked back at Ginny, and said "Be careful Ginny, it will be okay." Then he turned to Harry, and wished him luck. He walked out of the room and shut the door with a swift click of the latch being engaged and Harry could hear his footsteps receding. Suddenly he heard a series of rapid thumps as Uncle Vernon rushed up the stairs to lock the door. Harry listened to the dead bolts and chains rattle sealing him into his room for the second time that day. But when he turned around and saw Ginny looking up at him, he thought 'This won't be so bad'.

He muttered a silence charm, so no sound could come in and no sound could go out. Then he approached Ginny.


	2. Pain can be Bliss

Pain is Bliss

Harry could see the tears on Ginny Weasley's cheeks as he got closer to her. He hesitated unsure of what to do and then took another step.

When she sensed him coming closer she looked down at her knees feeling embarrassed to be crying in front of the boy she has fancied for over five years.

Harry did what he thought was best. Instead of sitting next to her and letting her lean up against him, he kneeled and put both of his hands on Ginny's cheeks, and gently tilted her head so she was looking at him. "Ginny, it is okay, nobody was hurt, everybody is safe, and nothing else is going to happen."

Ginny started sobbing again, "Harry, my house is gone! Why did they do it? What if it was to kill me and my family? What if they just judged wrong and missed us? What if they are going to come after us?" Ginny seemed to come to a realization, her eyes popped open and she hopped up. "I can't stay here, I am putting you at risk, I must go."

Hearing this Harry jumped up, and made a grab at Ginny but missed. "Damn she is fast" he thought briefly. "Gin-", he made another grab at her, and she dodged his hand. "Ginny, you are playing the 'What If' game, stop. You will never win at that game, I should know."

Getting slightly frustrated at missing her hand twice, he watched her movement, but instead of grabbing her hand, he wrapped his arms around her, and started to move her towards the bed. Ginny not being one to be over powered, started struggling against him. By the time Harry got her to the bed he was dragging her all the way. A slightly amusing thought burst into his head and he muttered "If this is what children are like, I don't want one".

Ginny must have heard this, because she stopped fighting, and gave in, and crawled onto the bed. Harry crawled up to the head of the bed, and pulled her close again. She started sobbing again, and he idly played with her hair, and then pulled out his wand, and flicked it to start playing some music. Ginny's sobbing seemed to quiet down after a while, and then faded into a quiet steady breathing. Harry looked down, and realized what had been missing in his life for the past five years, a companion, a soul mate. He liked her company, he always did. He would get slightly put out every time Ginny was around and Ron would shoo her away. Suddenly his heart felt elated, he would be spending two whole months with this…pale, red haired, freckled angel.

He sat for another hour, looking at her, and submerged deep in his own thoughts. Unable to prevent his own mind, it ran back to thinking about last week: the Ministry of Magic, thinking is friends were killed, watching his god father Sirius fall through the veil. He sat immersed in his own personal hell, he mind running rampant to his nightmares, watching his friends tortured, and then killed.

He neglected to notice his grip on Ginny was tightening. Her squirming snapped him out of his reverie, and his immediately relinquished his tight hold on her. She looked so peaceful sleeping. He looked at the clock, and decided if she was going to go to bed, she should be in her _own_ bed, that and he was hungry. With the smooth movement brought on to him from four years of Quidditch seeker, he moved out from under her, and lifted her up. He carefully walked over to her makeshift room, and gently pushed on the door. It swung open with a squeak, and made Ginny stir. Gently he walked over to the side of her bed, and placed her on it. Then he pulled the covers down careful not to disturb her. He was about to pull them back over her, but saw her shoes. Cautiously he undid her shoes, and placed them on the floor; he couldn't help but notice that she had cute feet. She stirred again, so he quickly pulled the covers over her, and silently left the room pulling the door shut behind him.

He walked back to his bed, and laid on his back. He needed to gather his thoughts, was he seriously falling for his best mate's little sister? If he was, what would he think? What about her family? He sat there thinking and then mentally scolded himself. He got up mumbling "Why am I playing the 'What If' game when I told Ginny off for the same thing a few hours ago." He looked around, and his stomach rumbled again "yeah yeah", he muttered again.

He didn't know what to do, he couldn't remember what Professor Dumbledore told him about conjuring things. He spotted Dudley's tank. Pondering what to do, he decided Dudley wouldn't be using it anymore and transfigured it into a stove top. He grinned, that was the biggest thing he had ever transfigured. He wished he could see Hermione's face when he sent he an owl in the next few days. "Now that I have the stove, I need an icebox." He looked around and his eyes fell on the broken television. Within seconds it was a refrigerator.

His stomach was craving an omelet, his specialty. He got out a few eggs, ham, and cheese. He pondered a minute, and looked around, thinking about what he still needed. He decided that the smaller broken toys in the closet would work with as pots and pans, and other kitchen utensils. He busied himself with his omelet, for the next fifteen minutes, once again feeling the joy of cooking. While it was still cooking he transfigured a few other toys into a table and chairs. His stomach gave yet another familiar pang of hunger, so he checked on his omelet which was finally done, and set it on the table and started digging into his favorite Ham and Cheese omelet.

Ginny's slowly woke up thinking it was all a dream…a _really_ good dream. She inhaled deeply, smelling the omelet, and vaguely thought of her mom cooking in the kitchen, but... nothing else smelled right. Her eyes snapped open and looked at the small room she was in. She had the strangest feeling she had ever had; her heart sunk, but her stomach gave a leap of joy. Her dream was coming true. She was sleeping in Harry's bedroom, sorta, but at the same time, she felt awful. The Burrow was gone. She got up to change, but remembered her trunk was outside in Harry's room. She opened her door and saw Harry sitting with his back to her, eating an omelet. Being a young teenager, her mind wandered and she could picture his sitting in the chair drinking a mug of coffee while reading a newspaper. She grinned to herself and shook those thoughts away. She silently walked up to him, and hugged him from behind, feeling him jump slightly. "Ginny!".

"What?" She looked at him in mock surprise. "I just thought you would like a hug, after all, I doubt this is the last you will be seeing of me. So, why not just get comfortable with each other?"

He thought for a moment and shrugged. "Hungry? Want an omelet?"

She nodded her consent, and asked for the same thing he had.

When he got up and busied himself with another omelet, she plopped herself down in his chair and ate the rest of his. She sighed in satisfaction, so far his cooking easily rivaled her mom's. She rested her head down in her hands and watched him cook, with and evil grin on her face. He turned around with a fresh Ham and Cheese omelet when he caught her evil smile, and glanced down, and glared at her, which only made her grin bigger.

In retaliation, he sat down on the other side of the table. "Well, I guess you are going to be full, so I will eat this one". He took a piece to emphasize his point.

"Nooooooo, that one is mine!" she whined while making a face and a grabbing motion with her hands.

He grinned and sat farther back still avoiding her reach.

She sat back, and put on a pouty face.

Harry just couldn't resist, he knew at that moment, he was definitely in love with her, and probably would be forever. Slightly reluctantly he put the plate down again, and tried to snatch it away when she grabbed it, but once again was to slow.

They sat for a while talking. He looked at the clock and it was after two. He suggested that they go back to bed. She was after all, yawning a lot.

She agreed, and Harry helped her carry her trunk into her room. He shut the door on the way out, before changing himself.

Even though he was the one who suggested that they go to bed, he wasn't even remotely tired. He was lying in bed for an hour, and then heard sudden thrashing in the small bedroom Dumbledore created. It sounded like Ginny was having a nightmare, and her thrashing was getting worse. He quickly got up, and ran over to her room to try to wake her up. He ran to the door, and tried to open it…THUMP. It was locked, and his momentum couldn't be stopped before he plowed into the door.

Ginny was shaken out of her nightmare by a huge thump, and cracking of wood. Cautiously she held her wand at the ready before opening the door. The was confused because nobody was standing in front of her, but then she saw movement on the floor, and looked down. If she wasn't so scared she would have laughed. Harry was sprawled out on the floor, holding his head. She helped him back to bed, and laid him down. Before pulling to sheets back over him, she looked him over. No broken bones, but bruises.

She kissed the spots where is head hit the door, and returned to her own bed. As soon as she kissed him, the pain vanished…instead it was replaced with a thought of pure bliss…sometimes pain can be bliss. He fell asleep still in the paradise in his mind.

The next morning he woke up, and started cooking breakfast again. Making sure that the food wouldn't catch fire, he went to go wake up Ginny. He opened the door, to find Ginny awake, but not out of bed yet. She looked at Harry and smiled. With a perfectly straight face, he pointed at the door and imitated an actor he saw on the TV once, Steve Urkle "Did I do that?". Ginny crawled out of bed and looked at where he was pointing. A huge dent marked the spot where Harry's head made contact with the hollow, but quiet solid door.

They both laughed for a bit, but Harry stood up to go check on the food and called over his shoulder "Harry's Catering Service, is almost ready, made exclusively for Ginny Weasley!" She chuckled and went to use the restroom. While she was in there Harry told her he would fix her door as soon as they finished eating.

By the time Harry finish cooking breakfast Ginny had come out of the bathroom, and was eagerly awaiting something to eat.

"Hey Ginny, why did Dumbledore send you here instead of to somebody else's place? Why didn't he send Ron here and you to Hermione's?"

"Well, the first thing was that I asked him if I could come here. He wouldn't let Ron come here because you two just get into trouble when you are together. I really didn't have anywhere else to go, and he wouldn't let me go to Hermione's because Ron was there, and he wanted us separated just in case. I also doubt that if you and Ron were here, you guys would get any work done. I bet Hermione is forcing him to do it right now, actually. Besides, he figured you would need…somebody as a distraction. Ron would have made things worse."

"Oh, Makes sense I guess…" after a long pause he added "How's Dean?"

"I don't know, I never asked him. He asked Parvati out on the train."

"Oh…well he is missing out on a really great girl. Ginny? Will you go out with me?" he asked nervously.

"Of course, I have been waiting for four years for you to ask that question."

He grinned so widely he thought his mouth was going to rip apart.

"Well, I guess I should get to fixing your door"

She sat there doing some quick thinking, then jumped up and said "Wait! Instead of putting the door back on can you make it a cloth door instead? Make it shredded at the bottom, and turn it green, like a bottle green, oh, and the sheets on the bed too."

Harry paused for a few moments and then changed Ginny's bed sheets green, and made the bed softer and more comfortable. He then turned his attention to the splintered door, and changed it into a sheet of green velvet.

"Done!"

"Hey, it isn't shredded!"

But I didn't know how you wanted it, so, here is a knife. Enjoy!"

She stood there thinking, and then started slashing.

Harry went back over to his bed and stood there watching, and wondering what she was up too.


End file.
